Bansci v. Nielsen

321 F. Supp. 3d 729
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedAugust 10, 2018
DocketCIVIL NO. 18-CA-695-FB
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 321 F. Supp. 3d 729 (Bansci v. Nielsen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bansci v. Nielsen, 321 F. Supp. 3d 729 (W.D. Tex. 2018).

Opinion

FRED BIERY, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the Court is the 28 U.S.C. § 2241 Habeas Corpus Petition filed by Mindra Berecz Bansci and Junior Munteanu ("Petitioners") (Docket Entry "DE"

*7321); Petitioners' Motion for Emergency Hearing (DE 2); Respondents' Motion to Dismiss (DE 16); Petitioners' Response to Respondents' Motion to Dismiss (DE 18); Respondents' Reply (DE 19); Petitioners' Surreply (DE 25); and Christine P. Payne's Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Petitioners (DE 16). Upon consideration, Respondents' Motion to Dismiss (DE 16) is GRANTED; Petitioners' § 2241 Petition (DE 1) is DISMISSED; and Petitioners' Motion for Emergency Hearing (DE 2) and Young's Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice (DE 17) are DENIED AS MOOT.

I. Factual and Procedural Background

Petitioners are citizens of Romania who, on June 2, 2018, entered the United States via Canada. (DE 1). According to the Safe Third Country Agreement ("STCA") between Canada and the United States, aliens entering the United States from Canada at a land border port-of-entry may be returned to Canada to seek protection under Canadian immigration law. See United States v. Malenge , 294 F. App'x 642, 644-45 (2d Cir. 2008) (citing "Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada for Cooperation in the Examination of Refugee Status Claims from Nationals of Third Countries", U.S.-Can., Dec. 5, 2002, available at http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/appendix-c.pdf). The Code of Federal Regulations sets out the process for determining whether an alien seeking asylum in the United States will be returned to Canada, providing that:

Prior to any determination concerning whether an alien arriving in the United States at a U.S.-Canada land border port-of-entry or in transit through the U.S. during removal by Canada has a credible fear of persecution or torture, the asylum officer shall conduct a threshold screening interview to determine whether such an alien is ineligible to apply for asylum pursuant to section 208(a)(2)(A) of the Act and subject to removal to Canada by operation of the Agreement Between the Government of the United States and the Government of Canada For Cooperation in the Examination of Refugee Status Claims from Nationals of Third Countries ("Agreement"). In conducting this threshold screening interview, the asylum officer shall apply all relevant interview procedures outlined in paragraph (d) of this section, provided, however, that paragraph (d)(2) of this section shall not apply to aliens described in this paragraph. The asylum officer shall advise the alien of the Agreement's exceptions and question the alien as to applicability of any of these exceptions to the alien's case.
(i) If the asylum officer, with concurrence from a supervisory asylum officer, determines that an alien does not qualify for an exception under the Agreement during this threshold screening interview, the alien is ineligible to apply for asylum in the United States. After the asylum officer's documented finding is reviewed by a supervisory asylum officer, the alien shall be advised that he or she will be removed to Canada in order to pursue his or her claims relating to a fear of persecution or torture under Canadian law. Aliens found ineligible to apply for asylum under this paragraph shall be removed to Canada.
(ii) If the alien establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that he or she qualifies for an exception under the terms of the Agreement, the asylum officer shall make a written notation of the basis of the exception, and then proceed immediately to a determination concerning whether the alien has a credible fear *733of persecution or torture under paragraph (d) of this section.
(iii) An alien qualifies for an exception to the Agreement if the alien is not being removed from Canada in transit through the United States and
(A) Is a citizen of Canada or, not having a country of nationality, is a habitual resident of Canada;
(B) Has in the United States a spouse, son, daughter, parent, legal guardian, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew who has been granted asylum, refugee, or other lawful status in the United States, provided, however, that this exception shall not apply to an alien whose relative maintains only nonimmigrant visitor status, as defined in section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Act, or whose relative maintains only visitor status based on admission to the United States pursuant to the Visa Waiver Program;
(C) Has in the United States a spouse, son, daughter, parent, legal guardian, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew who is at least 18 years of age and has an asylum application pending before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, or on appeal in federal court in the United States;
(D) Is unmarried, under 18 years of age, and does not have a parent or legal guardian in either Canada or the United States;
(E) Arrived in the United States with a validly issued visa or other valid admission document, other than for transit, issued by the United States to the alien, or, being required to hold a visa to enter Canada, was not required to obtain a visa to enter the United States; or
(F) The Director of USCIS, or the Director's designee, determines, in the exercise of unreviewable discretion, that it is in the public interest to allow the alien to pursue a claim for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture, in the United States.

8 C.F.R. § 208.30(e)(6).

In this case, Petitioners were screened, and it was determined they did not satisfy any of the listed exceptions to the STCA; as a result, Petitioners were issued an expedited order of removal and were returned to Canada to pursue their asylum claims under Canadian law.

On July 9, 2018, Petitioners filed a § 2241 Habeas Corpus Petition, along with a Motion for Emergency Expedited Hearing, seeking to prevent or postpone their expedited removal by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the basis that they had been denied the right to a credible fear interview despite indicating their intention to apply for asylum and expressing fear of returning to Romania. (DE 1). This Court entered an order, dated July 10, 2018, requiring Respondents to file an expedited response and further, ordering that the expedited order of removal be immediately stayed. (DE 6). However, unbeknownst to the Court, at the time it entered its order, Petitioners were already in the process of being removed to Canada. (DE 16-1).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
321 F. Supp. 3d 729, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bansci-v-nielsen-txwd-2018.